The Independent-News, Volume 107, Number 28, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 17 December 1981 — Page 7

NORTH LIBERTY EIGHTH GRADE BASKETBALL TEAM - ■ - ' -u v> W < "■ ’ ■ . J)Sk^ Jf Wk *^s • w « B & ■ "I* *iaß jw^pf® j i?l - jyhi £h Y V I —m|; pg |vJO j Omßtz; S ' /A MW & l JMjfrß ■nHuwTf fSH The North Liberty eighth grade girls basketball team members are, from left to right, first row: Michelle O’Connor, Tammy Zellers, Tracy Burch, Pam Stull, Charlyn Green and coach Tim Davis. Back row: Sally Seiner, Tammy Allsop, Jennifer Price, Shellie Clifton, Jenny Kominkiewicz and Tori Hall. Not pictured is Judy Grenert. — photo by Julie Cline

The Legends Os Christmas There arc many beautiful legends associated with Christmas. Perhaps one of the loveliest is that of the Christmas rose, also known as the Helleborus. According to tradition, the rose first bloomed on Christmas night. It seems that a little girl was outside the stable on that very first Christmas, weeping because she had no gift for the Holy Infant An angel noticed the child and took pity upon her. Brushing the earth with a wing, the angel called the little girl’s attention to where her tears had fallen. Much to the child’s wonder, a plant at her feet began to bud and then unfold into lovely, white flowers. The little girl quickly plucked the flowers —here was a gift worthy of the Babe’ She placed them at the feet of Jesus. As His tiny feet touched the blossoms, suddenly the petals turned pink! Thus was born the Christmas rose, so the legend says. p J Yet another legend cen ters around plants: a deli cate bedstraw plant, strewn with tiny white Howers, is said to have been mixed with the has in the manger where the Infant Jesus lay. The white flowers were miraculously turned to

v y X. SB & \ SsSsßsss * < V/. A * —— 'f • /V. v Ml.Jiiß. .V OJtUb MH 1 M iiP-Hm . \ *. IL. 1 *1 • —<7’h a!/ . aJ \ * \ > V w ®foas it|e foeek before (Christmas and all througl] the bank, ^antae elites filled a stocking oUer four feet in lengtlr. y; X. ft^e stocking teas l|ung near tl]e tree in a toljirl in the hopes M. of good toisl|es for a bog or a girl. y 3f non are tfoelve gears or under tf[is is a must A $5 (Home into farmers ^tate Itank and enter to toin V JHerrg flUjristmas and good luck to gou from all of us. FARMERS STATE BANK c? * a। t 7 MEMBER F.D.I.C. V* •q e < • v

DECEMBER 17, 1981 - THE INDEPENDENT NEWS -

gold that night, and ever since then the plant has been known as ()ur I ads’s Bedstraw \nother legend explains hovs the lamb got its woolls coat. Ihe story sass that a little lamb was among the animals m the stable on ( hristmas I ve. I hinking that the Christ Child must be cold, wrapped only in swaddling clothes and lasing upon straw, the little lamb nestled by the Infant, to shelter Him from the cold. The Infant touched the little lamb, and its coat was transformed into soft, curly wool. Since then, the legend says, all sheep proudly wear a warm and woolly coat. (hristmas C onfusion’ For three centuries following His birth, Christ's nativity was celebrated at various times in January, March, April. May, September, and October by Christian groups.

I he Star of Bethlehem In some countries, at one time, ( hristmas I ve celebrations did not begin until the first star had appeared in the heavens, m memorv of the Star of Bethlehem. I here are mans customs associated with the star: I yrolean “star-singers" follow a star-shaped lantern as they go about caroling, and Swedish boys and girls follow a child carrying a large star. Medieval C arol Make me merry, both more and less. For now is the time of ('hristmas. — From a Sixteenth Century Song

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